Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Historical Hindsight

History is something that repeats itself... and people don't learn from it.
BUT it is also one of my favourite topics!
So how about a little history of Creativity Abounds and web design?


It was 2002. One girl was getting ready to choose her electives for the next two years of schooling. She was tossing up between a few subjects and finally settled on Computer Studies and Technical Drawing. Both were male dominated classes. Over the course of two years, she learnt about computers from two different perspectives; how they are used in drawing and how they are used in the rest of the world. Of particular interest - web design and the internet.

While she 'helped' her friend with her computer homework (all but using the very mouse to do it for her) there was a brief glimpse of what it was like to be able to make the complicated simple - a concept that would stick in her mind to this very day.

She found she had a unique way of looking at things -not just with web design, but also in other areas of life; with mathematics, history, programming - even words. She enjoyed meddling around with code, with language, with equations - and what's more, she enjoyed teaching it! Transforming these complex things into simpler, easy to understand metaphors that made sense to the every-person became an every other day thing.

But facing the looming pressures of the Higher School Certificate (or the Henry, as her year had affectionately named it in an attempt to escape the stress), the girl decided not to continue a career in these seemingly trivial items but rather to pursue a more scholarly career in Psychology.

Little did she know that after the HSC, she would face a bigger and more realistic dragon filled with tiny little fears of everyday objects - Panic Disorder!

After over a month spent in bed, she found solace in the every other day workload of a screen printing assistant job. Cleaning screens, unpacking, folding and repacking t-shirts was repititive, but new to her. It was exactly what she needed to get back into the 'real' world, from which she had grown afraid.

She continued working here, slowly progressing up the chain of workers to answering phones, redrawing graphics and handling customers. During this time, she studied via distance education, but didn't feel as fulfilled as she expected. Apparently learning how and why people behaved the way they did wasn't as world-saving as she hoped.

As days went by, a website was created, maintained, recreated and redeployed. It served as a great extra (and free) employee for the small company and allowed a reconnection with a passion she had turned her back from.

Research, laughs, tears, a car crash, research, reading and an understanding for what was a true driving force in her life led the way to a decision to start a business.

A business that fulfilled exactly what she wanted in a business... and more.

A business that expected the best and gave slightly better.

A business that had learned from mistakes and started fresh faced and full of hope.

That business is Creativity Abounds and that girl is me.

Labels: , , ,

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Where is the website?

Hello!
The main website isn't complete yet.

I always think it is ironic when web designers only have a 'splash' screen or a page saying 'website coming soon'. I hear the echo - "So's Christmas!".

It is hard to code for money and code for free; one has to decide if one wants to focus on a customer's site or one's own.

Don't be too disappointed.

While you are here why not check out a few sites I have designed or been involved in;

20Knots - Peter and Lyndall Talbot head up this business; my favourite sailing t-shirt company and they are based right here in Newcastle!

Promobasics - The basic promotional products all in one website! Locally owned but Australia wide, these guys are a must-see for anything promotional. Bonus - all the prices are online! Makes comparing promotional product prices easy!

Keep the code flowing,
Jess!

Labels: , ,